(12) United States Patent
`Melnychuk et al.
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,972,421 B2
`Dec. 6, 2005
`
`US006972421B2
`
`(54) EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE
`
`(60)
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Stephan T. Melnychuk, Carlsbad, CA
`(US); William N. Partlo, Poway, CA
`(US); Igor V. Fomenkov, San Diego,
`CA (US); I. Roger Oliver, San Diego,
`CA (US); Richard M. Ness, San Diego,
`CA (US); Norbert Bowering, San
`Diego, CA (US); Oleh Khodykin, San
`Diego, CA (US); Curtis L. Rettig,
`Vista, CA (US); Gerry M.
`Blumenstock, San Diego, CA (US);
`Timothy S. Dyer, Oceanside, CA (US);
`Rodney D. Simmons, San Diego, CA
`(US); Jerzy R. Hofi'man, Escondido,
`CA (US); R. Mark Johnson, Ramona,
`CA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Cymer, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 107 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/409,254
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 8, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2004/0108473 A1 Jun. 10, 2004
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation—in—part of application No. 10/384,967, filed on
`Mar. 8, 2003, which is a continuation—in—part of application
`No. 10/189,824, filed on Jul. 3, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,815,
`700, which is a continuation—in—part of application No.
`10/120,655, filed on Apr. 10, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,744,060,
`which is a continuation—in—part of application No. 09/875,
`719, filed on Jun. 6, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,586,757, which is
`a continuation—in—part of application No. 09/875,721, filed
`on Jun. 6, 2001, now Pat. No. 6,566,668, which is a
`continuation—in—part of application No. 09/696,084, filed on
`Oct. 16, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,566,667, which is a continu-
`ation—in—part of application No. 09/590,962, filed on Jun. 9,
`2000, now abandoned.
`
`Provisional application No. 60/422,808, filed on Oct. 31,
`2002, and provisional application No. 60/419,805, filed on
`Oct. 18, 2002.
`
`Int. Cl.7 ............................................... .. H01J 35/20
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`............................. .. 250/504 R; 250/493.1;
`378/119
`
`(58) Field of Search ........................ .. 250/504 R, 493.1;
`378/119; 372/5, 87
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,759,106 A
`3,150,483 A
`3,232,046 A
`
`8/1956 Wolter ....................... .. 250/53
`
`9/1964 Mayfield et al.
`60/35.5
`2/1966 Meyer ...................... .. 50/35.5
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Apruzese, J.P., “X—Ray Laser Research Using Z Pinches,”
`Am. Inst. 0fPhys. 399-403, (1994).
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Exczminer—Kiet T. Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—William C. Cray; Cymar,
`Inc.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The present invention provides a reliable, high-repetition
`rate, production line compatible high energy photon source.
`Avery hot plasma containing an active material is produced
`in vacuum chamber. The active material is an atomic ele-
`ment having an emission line within a desired extreme
`ultraviolet (EUV) range. Apulse power source comprising a
`charging capacitor and a magnetic compression circuit com-
`prising a pulse transformer, provides electrical pulses having
`sufficient energy and electrical potential suflicient to pro-
`duce the EUV light at an intermediate focus at rates in excess
`of 5 Watts. In preferred embodiments designed by Appli-
`cants in-band, EUV light energy at the intermediate focus is
`45 Watts extendable to 105.8 Watts.
`
`78 Claims, 50 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`ASML 1331
`(cid:34)(cid:52)(cid:46)(cid:45)(cid:1)(cid:18)(cid:17)(cid:18)(cid:20)
`ASML 1331